Respect Beard for his judgment, leadership

The recent ad for Michael Breitbach regarding so-called food stamp fraud with water bottles is one that state Republicans are running in several locations. It leads us to wonder if this is really a problem in Northeast Iowa?

Further, our research indicates that this particular regulation is a federal one. How can Mr Breitbach rescind federal regulations at the state level? Whatever the accuracy or inaccuracy of this ad, we can't help asking, "Is this the most important issue he has to offer the voters of Northeast Iowa?"

John Beard, on the other hand, is committed to the issues that really matter to all of us: education, small business growth, clean air and water, and sensible protection of our tax dollars.

John Beard has a track record from his time in the Legislature when he worked on legislation and he voted to balance the state budget without raising taxes, to cut his own pay, to focus on renewable jobs in wind and solar and to ban lobbyists from the House floor.

John Beard will protect local jobs. He'll work so that Iowa companies will have first crack at state contracts and our tax dollars will then create employment. Instead of giving millions in tax breaks and subsidies to an Egyptian corporation as our current governor did, he wants to give loans and grants as "seed money" to small businesses -- Iowa's businesses.

We respect John Beard for his good judgment and leadership qualities and we encourage other voters to support him.